There already exists in the art an apparatus and method used in connection with processing bank checks called MICR numbers (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition numbers). A microreader is used with an MICR number that appears at the bottom of a bank check, bank draft, or bank deposit slip in order to establish an individual bank, account number, check number, and an amount of the check or deposit slip. As part of the process of clearing the checks and the deposit slips in the bank, a machine operator in the bank types on the lower right-hand corner of the check or deposit slip the amount of the check or deposit slip in MICR numbers prior to subsequent processing. At processing time, the items are fed into a high speed reader/sorter device that reads the MICR and sorts the documents based on information read from the MICR for each individual document.
In addition to the document being read and sorted, there is often a microfilming process that produces copies of each document. Other known machines use a pair of scanners for scanning the fronts and backs of checks to record data thereon. Another known prior art apparatus and process is available from the Eastman Kodak Company of Rochester, N.Y., and is known as a Kodak Imagelink Microimager 70. That system uses mirrors to transfer the fronts and backs of bank checks to microfilm. The Kodak Imagelink Microimager 70 includes a check "locator" feature, but does not provide full check retrieval as does the present invention. Prior art machines and processes providing imaging to magnetic media retrieval capabilities are relatively expensive and are thus considered impractical and cost-prohibitive for medium and small size banks.
A significant disadvantage of the known bank check microfilm systems is the absence of a way to centrally index and recover information from the microfilm since the bank checks arrive in the system randomly and are thus processed onto the microfilm in the random order of arrival. Also, with a random order of arrival in the microfilm system, there is no practical way to process bank statements with images of checks or the checks themselves because the microfilm is of no assistance in this regard.
The present invention solves many of the problems that exist with microfilm-based systems by scanning, indexing and storing the information digitally and by using a relational model to store the information. The banking institution, using the system of the present invention, can easily access information from a work station via a set of database queries. For instance, a user could query all checks drawn on an account over the past year.
Another known prior art apparatus does provide document capture into digital form; however, it requires expensive mainframe computers and reader/sorters to implement. Furthermore, since many of these solutions often use proprietary technology, such systems cannot be upgraded and therefore quickly become obsolete. For most banks, for example, with assets below $150 million, that type of solution becomes cost prohibitive.
In contrast, the present invention uses networked personal computers configured to exploit standard and industry accepted client/server architectures. Such systems are easily upgraded to incorporate future software and hardware technological advancements.